Regions Map
X

Brian Chevalier
Card image
Musical assembly and Artist in residence programs. Songwriting can cover any topic you choose, character, SEL, school song, etc. Assembly topics include character, antibully, mindfulness, multicultural, health, respect tour, reading celebration and fun family nights. Very interactive and fun!
Matthew McElligott
Card image
In Matt's programs he talks about the process of writing and illustrating picture books. Each talk focuses on one of his books and includes an interactive reading of the book, sharing background stories and talking a little bit about what authors and illustrators do, and an interactive demonstration of creating the illustrations. Matt will do either 3 auditorium sized or 4 library sized (smaller group) presentations per day. Four library presentations is highly preferred so Matt can better interact with students. Matt can also do an additional smaller group Q&A talk with select students (usually older kids who are interested in writing or drawing), such as a meeting over lunch or an "afternoon tea." Matt has a variety of educational and entertaining presentations suitable for students K through 6th grade, as well as presentations for parent's nights or literacy nights for an additional fee.
ArteLatAm
Card image
Founded in 2016, ArteLatAm is a New York City and State-certified Women's Minority Business Enterprise (M/WBE) and an NYC-DOE-qualified vendor #ART042082 for Arts Programming. We are a Bilingual (English/Spanish) arts organization with a team of 14 professionals that brings a long-standing commitment to equity and inclusion. Our global network boasts 100+ seasoned artists & musicians, STEAM & Sports trainers qualified to work with students. We offer K to 12th-grade student programs such as after-school, summer rising, artist in residency, enrichment, and workshops. We are proud to have supported over 4,000 students in the last three years in all five boroughs of New York. Our mission aims to provide a diverse range of art services to both public and private organizations while supporting and highlighting the talents of artists and creatives. We prioritize student involvement and specialize in various art disciplines, including visual art classes, murals painted with students, performing arts, music, theater, singing, and multicultural dance. As of last year, we have also introduced urban gardening, coding, robotics, and sports programs, which include a range of activities such as multicultural Zumba, yoga, and soccer, all with a creative twist! We take pride in our ability to tailor any of our programs to meet the unique needs of each school. Our approach is based on previous successes, and we have a committed team of skilled art teachers passionate about providing the highest quality education to students.
Barbara Slate
Card image
You Can Do a Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Meme, or Zine Categories: Creative Writing, Visual Arts Curriculum. Costs VIRTUAL PROGRAMS (ZOOM) One-hour interactive classes, unlimited participants: $500.00 LIVE IN-PERSON PROGRAMS One day: $1,200.00 Four days: $3,800.00 Eight days: $6,500.00 For venues more than 40 miles from Hudson, NY travel cost of $0.50 mile will be added. For venues more than 40 miles from Valatie, NY travel cost of $0.50 mile will be added. Available year-round. Program Theme: Students learn how to create a graphic novel beginning with a six page comic. It doesn’t matter if they can draw. Stick figures are an expressive way for the reluctant artist to begin. Participants are encouraged to bring their sketchbooks and characters they may already be working on. They will learn about The Creative Process, how to write a Character Study, focus on the beginning, middle, end and twist of a story, and Create Layouts. If the program is an assembly, Barbara talks though the program with on-screen illustrations of the process. The school is to provide a computer, projector and screen. Program Description: Each program is custom tailored to the grade, number of students in the class, and number of sessions. If there are four or more sessions per class, the program finishes with a Graphic Novel Exhibition (see below). The Creative Process: 20 creative tips. Creating Characters: Participants complete bio sheets with the character’s name, age, best friend/side kick, powers (if any), biggest fear, life goal, etc. Plotting: Learning how to plot challenges the student to complete a story. Too many begin the story and throw it out somewhere in the middle. The student learns to plot by color code, a method used by film/tv/graphic novel writers. Layout: Participants learn about panels, thumbnails, dialogue balloons, sequence, and making a page pop. Rather than drawing “talking heads,” they draw a close-up, pull back for a long shot, followed by interior, exterior, bird’s eye views. Everybody works at their own pace. Some are advanced artists/writers while others are beginners. It doesn’t matter where they begin as long as they get going. I hand out a “character bible” sheet and encourage them to think about the beginning, middle, end and twist of their story. The twist is what makes the story interesting. I bring in samples of character bibles from Marvel comics which they can keep, and scripts written by professionals. Feedback is an important part of the program. It usually begins when I hold up a student’s drawing and ask them to suggest a name, age, or character trait. The student can take the suggestions or discard them, however, it opens up discussions. In the first session, students are sometimes quiet/shy with other students but by the second, they open up about their characters and stories. After the last workshop, the doors open to parents, friends, relatives, the community, and the local press. Students show and talk about their work…where they got their inspiration for characters/story. The “Graphic Novel Exhibition” attracts a lot of attention and often results in newspaper articles. Having artwork in the newspaper is great for a student’s self-esteem and for their portfolio. Copies of Barbara's textbook You Can Do a Graphic Novel can be ordered for the school library, and discounts are available from the publisher for class-size orders. http://youcandoagraphicnovel.com/students1.htm
Alejandro Becerra
Card image
I coordinate Onondaga Lake education experiences for elementary and middle school students. The lake field trips involve hands-on learning stations that include fishing, water quality testing, a nature walk to learn about the ecosystem, a local history lesson related to Onondaga Lake, and an integrated art project.
Farleys World
Card image
We offer an interactive Author Visit for grade Prek-5 where we bring our character Farley (the world's favorite penguin!) We have three signature songs that we incorporate into our visit. We teach the children the process on becoming an author and getting your book published which we focus more on with the older grades. We offer a bundle pack where the children can get a book and a Farley plush for a discounted price. The class that has the most book order forms can win a pizza party with Farley.
Daniel J Mahoney
Card image
I am a children’s book author and illustrator who loves to visit and interact with my readers! I talk about the book making process with a slides presentation of the making of my latest picture book, and hold a story brainstorming session where the students are the authors and I am the illustrator and we create a story together. You can read more about my school/library visits on my website. There’s also testimonials from teachers I’ve worked with!
Jeff Mack
Card image
I'm an author/illustrator who presents to elementary school students about writing and illustrating humorous picture books, graphic novels, and chapter books. Each of my programs features multimedia presentations about how I make both fiction and non-fiction books. I include a mix of info about my writing and illustrating processes as well as exciting, interactive drawing demonstrations for all ages.
The Ocean Adventure
Card image
Like a field trip that comes to you! Marine biologist and underwater videographer team, Wayne & Karen Brown bring the “ocean” to your school with their nationally-acclaimed, high-energy, fast-paced, interactive multimedia presentations. The presentations combine actual specimens, biological models, unique props, costumes, creative dramatics, storytelling techniques, high-tech SCUBA diving equipment, audience participation, breathtaking underwater photography/videography and life-size (or larger-than-life-size) inflatable animals! OUR ASSEMBLIES: OUR NEWEST SHOW! The Antarctica Penguins Expedition: (Topic: Antarctica & Penguins) Join us on our annual expeditions to visit the White Continent — Antarctica, on our search for the amazing flightless ocean birds — Penguins! Meet our life-size, 3 1/2-foot tall, King Penguin and 18-inch Adelie Penguin! The Norway Polar Bear Expedition: (Topic: Arctic & Polar Bears) Join us on our expeditions to visit the frigid home of Disney’s Frozen on our search for the largest bear on the planet — the Polar Bear! Explore the Arctic Ocean ecosystem and meet animals that are able to survive in this harsh environment. See our life-size, 10-foot male Polar Bear, Polar Bear cubs and Polar Bear skull! The Mexico Great White Shark Expedition: (Topic: Sharks) Come face-to-face with a 15 foot long, 3,000 pound great white shark! Find out the facts versus the fantasies as we study great white sharks near Guadalupe Island, Mexico. See our HUGE jaws from a 20-foot Great White Shark and our life-size, 15-foot female Great White Shark! The Australia Great Barrier Reef Expedition: (Topic: Coral Reefs) Visit the largest living organism on earth and the home of Nemo (from the hit Pixar movie Finding Nemo)…Australia’s Great Barrier Reef! Witness corals giving birth. Meet Nemo’s friends that call the Great Barrier Reef home, from the docile to the dangerous. See our life-sized, coral reef! The Belize Whale Shark Expedition: (Topic: Sharks) Learn about Dory’s best friend from the hit Disney/Pixar movie, Finding Dory, when you join us on our expedition to search for and document the largest shark on the planet — the Whale Shark! Join us along the longest coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere as we dive with whale sharks, bull sharks, manatees and dolphins! See our HUGE jaws from a 20-foot Whale Shark and our life-size, 25-foot female Whale Shark! The Crystal River Florida Manatee Expedition: (Topic: Manatees) Get nose-to-nose with a 10-foot long, 2,000 pound Flordia manatee! Learn how these animals are adapted to their environment, why they are threatened and what is being done to protect them. See our life-sized, Florida manatee skull and our life-size, 10-foot female Florida Manatee! The Silver Bank Humpback Whale Expedition: (Topic: Whales) Meet a 20-foot long, baby humpback whale! Join us on our expedition to the world’s largest humpback whale breeding grounds…the Silver Bank, near the Caribbean Sea. Meet our life-size, 20-foot long, baby Humpback Whale! The Island of the Blue Dolphins Expedition: (Topic: Kelp Forests) Visit the island from the book, The Island of the Blue Dolphins. Tour underwater around the island and meet the marine inhabitants. Learn why the kelp forests around this island are an important natural resource. Come face-to-face with stingrays, moray eels and sharks! The Caribbean Sea Expedition: (Topic: Animal Adaptations) Dive with us to investigate a colorful Caribbean reef fish community. See the humorous and interesting tricks fish use in the underwater game of survival. Come face-to-face with sharks and moray eels.
Authors Out Loud
Card image
Authors Out Loud is the kid-lit division of Authors Unbound. We are a relationship-focused agency seeking to connect young adult, middle grade and children’s authors with school, festival and library audiences across the country. Our goal is to empower event coordinators with tools that build alliances between teachers, librarians, parents and authors, to help to transform young readers into lifelong book nerds.
The Write Kellys
Card image
The Write Kellys: A Unique Blend of Education and Entertainment for K-5 Classrooms The Write Kellys (Rebecca and Kevin Kelly) are an award-winning author and illustrator duo with a knack for crafting engaging, educational, and highly entertaining stories. With four published books, including Finder’s Creatures and The Awesome Impossible Unstoppable Gadget, they have created a captivating universe where young readers solve mysteries, explore creative thinking, and dive into STEM-based adventures. How we approach our Workshops and Presentations using : 1. Design Thinking & Critical Thinking Expertise: The Write Kellys embed design and critical thinking into every story, helping students develop essential problem-solving skills while they’re having fun. With over 25 years of teaching, writing and design experience, we prepare young readers for future learning in a way that no other author does. 2. STEM & Arts-Based Storytelling Workshops: We don’t just read stories; we transform them into interactive experiences. Our workshops blend STEM and art seamlessly, making subjects like science and engineering approachable and exciting for K-5 students. 3. Interactive Author Q&A and Writing Workshops: We offer personalized sessions where students can ask questions, participate in creative writing exercises, and even explore the process of illustration. This interactive approach fosters a deeper connection to the material and encourages creative thinking. 4. Character Development & Design: Our stories go beyond simple narratives. We emphasize character education, teaching values like empathy, kindness, and perseverance through engaging and relatable characters. 5. Custom Events: From mystery-themed events featuring our alter ego P. Knuckle Jones to tailored workshops that meet specific curriculum goals, we work with schools to create custom experiences that resonate with both students and educators. What Others are Saying: “Two hilarious investigations in one!” — Kirkus “A strong recommendation for budding readers and detectives” — School Library Journal “A delightful read for children who enjoy solving mysteries, offering a perfect mix of intrigue, laughs, and memorable moments” — Reader’s Favorite
Jared Campbell
Card image
Jared Campbell is an award winning singer/songwriter from Upstate New York and has been traveling the country performing for thousands of people and hundreds of schools over the past 18 years. He’s shared the stage with national acts and had his music featured on TV shows. He’s also been acknowledged by Billboard Magazine as one of the top independent musicians in the northeast. His school presentation is unlike any other assembly you will bring in to your school. He reaches students through the power of music with songs he's written about some of the most crucial elements to living out your life with purpose. His message focuses on overcoming obstacles, bully prevention, respect, leadership and having an amazing outlook on life. His approach in relating to students is unlike any other presenter you will see. He mixes humor with deep emotion and literally takes the listener inside his songs through the use of powerful videos that are projected behind him during the show. Students continually walk into the show saying "I thought this was going to be just another dumb assembly" and have left the show routinely saying "In all four years of high school....this has been the best assembly ever!" - Maria 12th grade. There's plenty of humor as Jared constantly gets compared to the likes of Jack Black and you could say Jared's conducting a "School of Rock" but this school is meant to rock your life! Jared's heart is to reach the young people of today and encourage them to never stop dreaming and continue pushing forward to living out your purpose with passion!